Put all the ingredients into a bowl and mix well by hand or with the paddle attachment of a stand mixer.

If you want to check the seasoning, pinch off a small piece and cook it in a skillet until it loses its raw color; adjust the seasonings as necessary.

Press the meat mixture into a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan, or shape into a compact oval in a 9- by 13-inch or larger baking dish.

Bake to an internal temperature of 140˚F, 50 to 60 minutes depending on the shape and the type of pan. At this stage the center will still be a little pink; if you prefer it cooked more, bake to 145˚ to 150˚F. Any higher and it may come out too dry and crumbly.

Hold the loaf in place with a large spatula and drain away the fat and juices before transferring the loaf to a cutting board.

Let the loaf rest for a few minutes before slicing.

Yield

Serves 6-8

Good to know

I have always baked meat loaf in a loaf pan, so I was surprised the first time I saw my wife make one as a freestanding loaf baked in a larger roasting pan. Her way doesn’t make for neat rectangular slices, but it allows more of the fat to drain away. As long as you don’t overcook it, either method works fine.

Diners usually serve meat loaf with gravy, but when I was growing up we kids usually had ketchup, and Mom and Dad used “chili sauce” (basically a chunkier, slightly spicier version of ketchup). Sometimes Mom would put some chili sauce into the meatloaf itself. Today, I’m most likely to reach for the mustard.